The Portuguese did not make things easy on themselves against Israel, and will now be without Ronaldo for their final group match.

Portugal are under pressure to relieve their fans from anxiety by trouncing Luxembourg on October 15, 2013.Preview: Portugal up against all odds to take the top spot in their group

When Portugal drew at home against Northern Ireland, fans were far from happy with the team's performance. Looking at how much talent they have on paper, in comparison to that of Northern Ireland, it was confusing to figure out how that result even happened, especially at home.

An away match against Israel also looked like a good opportunity for Paulo Bento's side to grab three points, but had Fabio Coentrão not scored a stoppage time goal, the Portuguese would have been in serious trouble.

 

On Friday, they hosted the Israelis, and once again, failed to impress.

Missed opportunities, below average performances and constant mental lapses led to a 1-1 draw. Portuguese fans were once again left extremely frustrated, as the Portuguese are now likely looking at another playoff.

A match on Tuesday against last placed Luxembourg should give the Seleção das Quinas a chance at three points, but considering how they have been playing lately, anything is possible.

When these two countries met in their first match, Portugal fell behind after a Daniel Da Mota goal in the 13th minute. Being the first match in the group stage, Portuguese fans were left to wonder what was going on with the team.

In the days of Luis Figo and Rui Costa, Portugal would generally make quick work of lower tier teams, but things have changed drastically.

Goals from Cristiano Ronaldo and Helder Postiga saved the day for Paulo Bento, and had the Portuguese on the right track after just one match. But lets not forget that they realistically have not improved, and they could very well face a struggle on Tuesday against a Luxembourg side that has nothing to lose.

Playing without Ronaldo will likely make things more difficult for Portugal, as the Real Madrid forward saw a yellow card against Israel. His fellow Madrid teammate Pepe will also miss Tuesday's match after picking up a yellow card as well.

In their place will be Inter's Rolando and Galatasaray's Bruma. While Rolando has not featured for his country since August of 2012, the Portuguese central defender has also struggled to make an appearance for the Italian outfit.

Bruma, who just made a controversial move to Turkey from Sporting CP, will get his first chance at the top level for Portugal. He has already impressed at the club level, as well as for the Portugal U-21 squad, but he will now get a chance that he has been looking forward to for a few months now.

His pace on and off the ball, along with his ability to take on defenders will be a tough test for the visitors. And in no way disrespecting Luxembourg, this match could be the perfect fit for Bruma to gain some confidence and put in a good performance at the top level.

Knowing that the playoff is not yet guaranteed, João Moutinho still remains hopeful that with a small miracle, the Portuguese could still take the top spot in the group.

"Mathematically we are not yet qualified for the playoff, but we can also still get the top spot," Moutinho told reporters on Sunday. "But on Tuesday, we need to forget all of that and focus on our match against Luxembourg. If we win the match, we will certainly make the playoff."

In order for Portugal to leapfrog Russia for the top spot, they would need Fabio Capello's side to lose against Azerbaijan, and the Lusitanos would have to win by an eight goal margin. And while that obviously is not impossible, it is very unlikely.

Where to watch the match - live stream, start time, TV channels, live scores

Watch Portugal vs Luxembourg live on Tuesday, October 15, 2013:

In Canada at 13:00 ET on: RTP Internacional, Sportsnet World

In the USA at 13:00 ET on: RTP Internacional, ESPN3, ESPN Deportes, Watch ESPN

If you are in Africa, you can follow this World Cup Qualification match live on Al Jazeera Sport HD4 and AlJazeeraSport.tv.

For fans outside these viewing areas, be sure to visit the Portugal vs Luxembourg match page for full TV listings.